Cross-ties for use in the railroad industry are normally formed from green wood and frequently develop splits in the ends thereof during the seasoning process. It has been found desirable to close the slits or cracks in the ends of the tie and to maintain the same in the condition by means of nail plates, dowels, S-irons, etc. Many prior art devices have been provided for squeezing the ends of the tie together and then driving a nail plate into the end thereof but the prior art machines are extremely expensive and consume large amounts of energy.
In one of the prior art machines, the cross-ties, adjacent the ends, are squeezed together by four or six hydraulic cylinders connected to movable platens. The requirement that two or three squeezing cylinders be provided at each end of the machine results in considerable expense and considerable energy being expended. Further, the prior art machines frequently require that the tie be lifted upwardly from a conveyor for the squeezing and plating operation. The requirement that the tie be lifted from a conveyor results in considerable super structure being needed to withstand the stresses and strains imposed on the machine during the squeezing and end plating operation.
Certain of the other prior art machines require that the cross-tie be slidably moved or positioned after the tie has been positioned in the machine so that the necessary squeezing and end plating operations may be performed. The sliding or positioning feature results in more time being consumed for the squeezing and plating operations.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a cross-tie end plating machine which is relatively less expensive to manufacture.
A further object of the invention is to provide a cross-tie end plating machine wherein the cross-tie, adjacent the ends thereof, is squeezed together by a single floating cylinder having robotic claws with platens secured thereto so that equalizing pressure is applied to all four sides of the tie.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a cross-tie end plating machine which achieves the squeezing and end plating operations at a higher rate of speed than prior art machines.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a cross-tie end plating machine which is durable in use.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.